The Moonbound
There is only one moon around Tanicus, but there are three gods connected to it. Tulani, the god of poetry, music, literature, and the arts, patron of bards, chief god of the sidh, lord of enlightenment, and inventor of wine, is the father of the “azure moon”, a.k.a. the full moon. Cymber, the goddess of twilight, secrets, and mystery, queen of shadows, patron of rogues, thieves, and seekers of the unknown, is the mother of the “gray moon”, a.k.a. the half moon. And Annwn, goddess of the dead, entropy, and natural destruction, Lady of the Dark, patron of any who work their arts in the dark places, queen of the underworld, is the mother of the “black moon,” a.k.a. the new or invisible moon. The gibbous and crescent moon phases are merely times of transition between these deities. Because of the “trichotomy” of the moon, lycanthropes come in three flavors, the good, the bad, and those who’d just rather be left alone. Much like the pantheon of Tanicus, the nine breeds of were-beast balance along the lines of the nine alignments, though some are definitely less common than others. Each cardinal alignment (good, neutral, evil) also has lycanthropes of each size, small, medium, and large. Children of the Azure Moon Tulani’s lycanthropes are embodied in the werebear (large, usually LG), the werejaguar (medium, usually NG), and the wereraven (small, usually CG). The bears are the rarest of the good lycanthropes, though not the most rare of all kinds. They are healers and caretakers of the forests. The jaguars are keepers of the rainforests and swamps of the northern reaches of the continent, and rarely stray far from their native Seawn. The ravens are the most social of the good lycanthropes, quite possibly the most social of any of the were-beasts. They tend to live in villages or cities… anywhere near people. Good-aligned lycanthropes are forced to spend some time (and sleep) in their true forms on the night of the new moon and the night on either side. Children of the Gray Moon Cymber’s lycanthropes are embodied in the werebadger (small, usually LN), wereboar (medium, usually N), and weretiger (large, usually CN). The badgers tend to be subterranean and resemble slim dwarves in humanoid form. They are the keepers of secrets beneath the earth. The boars tend to live in and around small villages, often accompanied by wild pigs or natural boars, and usually just want to be left alone. The tigers are the rarest of the neutral-aligned lycanthropes and tend to live in warm regions on the borders of plains of deserts. The tigers are known to delight in manipulating the people who live near them into revealing their own secrets and sowing chaos. Neutral lycanthropes are forced to spend some time (and sleep) in their true forms on the two nights of the half moon on opposite sides of the month. Children of the Black Moon Annwn’s lycanthropes are embodied in The werecrocodiles (large, usually LE), the werewolves (medium, usually NE), and the wererats (small, usually CE). The crocodiles are the rarest, and most territorial, of all the lycanthropes. They stick to the swamps and rivers of the continent, usually too worried with keeping what’s theirs to scheme. The wolves are the most openly violent of all werebeasts, reveling in the kill. Occupying the forests and rainforests, they have long been cold-war foes of the werebears and mortal enemies of the werejaguars. Found primarily in cities, the wererats are considered by many to be the lowest form of werebeast, scavenging, killing when possible, cowering when not, and living in dark, unwanted places like sewers and ruins. Evil lycanthropes are forced to spend some time (and sleep) in their true forms on the night of the full moon and the night on either side. Passing on Lycanthrope Lycanthropy can be passed on from True Lycanthropes to others, but it is a rare thing, and it often implies intent. Evil werebeasts, specifically the wolves and rats, have the greatest chance to do so, beause in doing so they can creat havoc, cause pain, and expand their power. Good werebeasts pass on their legacy rarely, generally to those who they think deserve the path to greater power. Neutral lycanthropes spread their legacy as it suits them, though still rarely by comparison to their evil cousins. Whether or not an inherited werebeast can control their bestial form and transformation is dependent on how violent their infection experience, so evil inherited lycanthropes tend to have the greatest trouble keeping control of themselves during the nights of their forced transformation. Category:Monsters